


I’ll Defy the Laws of Nature and Come Out Alive (Gen Mini Bang)

by delicateclarity



Category: Glee
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, kid!blaine, kid!cooper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-08
Updated: 2013-01-08
Packaged: 2017-11-25 04:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/635216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delicateclarity/pseuds/delicateclarity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU of Blaine and Cooper’s relationship as a series of installments, from Blaine’s birth until his wedding day. In this AU, they’re much closer than in canon, and Cooper is not quite as old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I’ll Defy the Laws of Nature and Come Out Alive (Gen Mini Bang)

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings for some homophobia and assault (not graphic). Read: Sadie Hawkins dance. Thanks to Courtney for being my beta!

**Blaine’s Birth**

**January 1994**  
  
Cooper was bored. He’d been waiting in the hospital for _ever._  What was taking so long? Mommy said that when he was done waiting, he’d have a new baby brother - Blaine, she said. Cooper knew a girl named Blaine, so he was confused for a while, but Daddy said Blaine was a strong boy’s name too, and Daddy knew everything and Cooper was only four. “And three quarters!” he’d remind everyone.  
  
The door next to him opened quickly, and Cooper saw his Daddy standing in the entrance smiling real big, and cooper scrambled to him. “Is he here? Can I see Blaine?”  
  
“Yes!” Cooper was scooped into his father’s arms, and a big wet kiss got placed on his cheek. His Daddy was laughing as Cooper rubbed it off - “Ew, Daddy!” - but he was giggling as he was carried into the room.  
  
There! His mommy was lying in the bed, and she looked tired and sick like she did when she had that cough last year, but she had the same big smile that Daddy had.  
And there, in her arms, was his baby brother. He didn’t look like Aunt Katie’s baby did when she brought her over to his house. Blaine’s face was red and wrinkled and his eyes were scrunched shut. He wasn’t very cute.  
  
But when his Daddy set him down, he ran to the edge of the bed anyway. He wasn’t tall enough! “Mommy, can I get in bed with you?” he asked, fluttering his eyelashes exaggeratedly. “Sure, baby.”  
  
“I’m not the baby!” Cooper said proudly. He laughed as his Daddy lifted him onto the bed. He snuggled into his Mommy’s side and stared in wonder at his brother.  
He could see a little fist, and he reached to touch it. “His hands are so little, Mommy,” He whispered. She looked at Cooper fondly. “Your hands used to be like that too.”  
“But then I got big, right?” Cooper knew he was right, every time he saw his relatives they told him how big he was getting.  
  
“Blaine’s gonna get big too, Cooper. Just like you,” his Mommy told him. “I know. But he’s always gonna be little to me, a’cause he’s my little brother. That means I always have to take care of him, even when we’re all growed up.”  
“That’s right. You’re going to be a great big brother, Cooper. Do you want to hold him?” his Mommy asked him.  
  
“What if I mess up?” Cooper was nervous. “I’ll help you” his Mommy smiled at him and Cooper nodded. “Okay.”  
  
His Mommy gently placed Blaine into his arms, showing him how to hold Blaine’s head up.  
  
“Wow” Cooper whispered.  
  
His Mommy was lying next to him, and his daddy came to lean over Cooper and look at Blaine, who was quiet but for a few gurgles. They stayed like that for a minute, happy together.  
  
Then Cooper wiggled a little, saying, “I love him already, Mommy. Do you know that, Blainey?” Cooper addressed the bundle in his arms, not really expecting an answer.  
But then Blaine moved a little, and his hand waved in the air in a fist, and his eyes opened, looking blearily at Cooper, blinking.  
  
“Mommy, look!” Cooper exclaimed. His mother cooed. “Oh, baby, he must recognize your voice! Tell him you love him again.”  
  
“I love you, Blaine! I’m your big brother and I’m always gonna take care of you. Even when you grow up all big like Daddy. Cause we’re a family and family takes care of each other.”  
  
Blaine gurgled below him.  
  
“Was that good, Mommy?”  
  
“So good, Cooper” her voice was thick.  
  
“You’re going to be the best big brother, Cooper” his Daddy laid a hand on his shoulder.  
  
“That’s because we’re gonna be the best family, Daddy! And no one’s gonna be sad ever.” Cooper beamed at his parents, and they smiled back at him, and in that moment, they all believed him.  
  
-

 **1999**  
  
Blaine was being quiet. He and Cooper were playing with dinosaurs but Blaine didn't make the noises like he usually did. Cooper set his raptor down (Blaine always got the T-Rex) and looked at Blaine.  
  
"Are you okay, Blainey?" he asked, worried about his little brother.   
  
Blaine looked up at him, and Cooper could see that he was nervous.  
  
"Do you like school, Coop?" Blaine asked, and oh, right, Blaine's was starting kindergarten the next day.  
  
"Yeah, I guess" Cooper lied a little, because he didn't want Blaine to be scared. "I'm in fourth grade now so I'm gonna get more homework and that's not fun, but I have friends and that's way fun. And you're only going to be in kindergarten, B! They teach you how to read there, but I already taught you that, right?" Cooper smirked, knew that he was right, and Blaine nodded and smiled, fear slightly dissipated.   
  
"I know you're gonna be kinda scared, you're always gonna be when you try something new, but you just have to try it anyway because it's gonna be great! You're gonna have friends Blaine, maybe even a best friend!" Cooper teased Blaine a little.  
  
At that Blaine looked confused. "But you're my best friend, Coop" he said, and Cooper grinned and said "You're my best friend too, squirt," laughing when Blaine made a face and tackled Cooper to the ground from where they were sitting. He responded by tickling Blaine's sides until he was giggling and screaming.   
  
Their mother appeared, surprising them. "Everything okay?" she was smiling, looking at them fondly.  
  
Cooper stopped tickling Blaine and grinned at her. Blaine was still laughing, breathless, and said "Yeah, mommy."  
  
"It's your bedtime Blaine. You've got school in the morning!" she exclaimed after checking the clock.   
  
"Aw, Mom, no. Blaine and I are playing!" Cooper protested, holding up a dinosaur as proof. His mom crossed her arms. "Five minutes. The toys will still be here tomorrow."  
  
"Okay!" Cooper said jubilantly, and turned back to Blaine, making a "rawrrrr" sound. Blaine bounced a little and picked up his T-Rex.   
  
~  
  
Their mom had just finished taking first day of school pictures, and Blaine was clutching tightly to Cooper's hand as they walked to the bus stop.   
  
"It's okay, Blainey. You're going to like school. I'm not going to leave you until we get to your class. And then I'll be in the same building. Remember what I told you last night? You have to have... courage" Cooper smiled proudly at himself for using a class vocabulary word. Blaine blinked up at him as they got to the bus stop, waiting.  
  
"What's courage, Coop? Do I have it already? Is it good?"   
  
"Courage means you're brave. Means that you can get through anything. I think you have courage. But you need to know that you have courage, Blaine. That's how you get through stuff, like school and when we don't have ice cream." Cooper smiled down at Blaine and slowly Blaine's face grew calmer and he wasn't holding Cooper's hand quite as tight.   
  
"And you'll walk me to my class? And help me even when it's something silly?" Blaine asked, just making sure.   
  
"Of course I will. I'm your big brother. It's my job to take care of you."   
  
The yellow bus screeched to a stop in front of them. "Come on, bud." Cooper said, and led Blaine up onto the bus.   
  
  
-

 **2002**  
  
“Hey, Cooper, you wanna hang out?” Patrick asked as they walked to their houses from the bus stop.  
  
“Nah, I promised I’d help Blaine with his math. He’s doing long division and he doesn’t get it," Cooper blew him off. Patrick made a face, complaining “You’re always busy with Blaine. He’s just a kid, why can’t your mom help him?”  
  
“...but I’ve always helped him with his homework.” Cooper said, confused.  
  
“Yeah, you help him all the time! Isn’t that annoying? Hanging out with elementary school kids isn’t cool, Coop. Don’t you care what other people think?” Patrick was frustrated, unsure as to why his friend was still talking to people who were in grades below sixth.  
  
“But I promised, c’mon.” Cooper tried to fight, but he bit his lip, looking unsure.  
  
“It’s just one time, come on man, loosen up. You never hang out with us. I just got the new Dance Dance Revolution, you’ve been wanting that for ages.”  
  
“Well... alright. Just this one time.”  
  
~  
  
Cooper got home a few hours later, humming to a song he'd totally kicked Patrick’s butt at on DDR. He walked into the kitchen to eat a snack, and found Blaine sitting at the table morosely.   
  
"Hey, Blaine!" Cooper said as he got an apple from the fridge. "How was your day?" He sat across from Blaine at the table.   
  
"It was okay." Blaine didn't look up. Cooper frowned, then reached for Blaine and messed up his hair.  
  
"Stop it, Coop." Blaine brushed him off.   
  
"What's wrong?" Cooper finally asked. Blaine looked up at him. "You said you would help me with my homework."  
  
"Oh. Well, I hung out with Patrick instead. Couldn't Mom or Dad help you with it?" Cooper tried to downplay how hurt Blaine looked, instead thinking of how much fun he'd had playing games with Patrick.  
  
"Dad's at work still, and Mom was too busy with her new job, and I still don't - get it!" Blaine's eyes grew big, and he gestured frustratedly down at his math worksheet.   
  
Cooper thought of Blaine sitting there by himself, waiting for him to come and help him like he has for years, and not understanding what he was supposed to do. Cooper looked down at the floor regretfully, before he pulled Blaine's worksheet over to himself. "Well, you've started out  right. Remember what I told you last week? Zero the hero!"  
  
Blaine giggled, said "yeah" and showed Cooper where he got lost, smiling up at him again.  
  
-

 **2004**  
  
"What does 'gay' mean?" Blaine asked during dinner. There was a sudden silence, then a  _clink_  as his father set down his fork.   
  
"Why are you asking that?" The tone was neutral, but Cooper could see his jaw clench, and he wished he could tell Blaine to shut up.   
  
"Well... I hear it in school sometimes and when you were watching the news earlier I heard them say that Massachusetts made marriage legal? But -" his eyebrows scrunched up "- I don't know what it is. Why was getting married against the law?"  
  
Cooper stared down at his food, pushing it around. His parents exchanged a look and Blaine grew tentative. "Is it bad?" he questioned.   
  
"Some people think it's bad, yes" Mrs. Anderson answered hesitantly.   
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it's when two men or two women are together like men and women should be. It's not normal, and it's not right. Massachusetts is going in the wrong direction" Mr. Anderson picked his fork back up, beginning to eat and effectively ending the conversation.   
  
Blaine opened his mouth again, but Cooper kicked him lightly and gave him a shake of the head. Blaine leaned over his food and finished his dinner.   
  
~  
  
Later that night, when Blaine was getting ready for bed, Cooper walked into Blaine's room.   
  
"Hey, Blainey" he said, tapping his hand against his leg and searching for the right words.   
  
"Hi, Coop." Blaine sat down on the edge of his bed. Cooper sat down next to him, sighing heavily.   
  
"Blaine, do you want me to answer what you asked during dinner?"   
  
Blaine peered up at him. "Please, Coop. Dad got mad, but I don't know why. I didn't do anything bad!"  
  
"Dad doesn't like it. It's not your fault, Blaine. So, he told you what it was. Do you get that?"  
  
"Two boys or two girls loving each other?" Blaine checked, and Cooper nodded. "But why do kids at school say it like it's bad?"  
  
"Because lots of people think that it's wrong. Massachusetts was on the news because they're the first state to make marriage between two boys or two girls legal." Cooper tried to put it simply, didn't tell him about controversies and horrible things said. Blaine would hear enough of that when he grew up.   
  
"Do you think it's wrong, Coop?" Blaine asked, and Cooper paused before answering with a simple "No."  
  
A lot of the people he knew were against gay marriage, but Cooper had a friend with two moms, and he'd spent enough time at their house that he didn't see anything wrong with it like the others.   
  
"You okay now, Blaine?" Cooper asked. Blaine nodded slowly. "I think so, yeah."  
  
"Okay. Goodnight, squirt." Cooper got up and went to leave the room. He heard Blaine huff, "Goodnight,  _Cooper_ " and Cooper giggled as he walked out.  
  
-

 **2007**  
  
"Coop?" Blaine paused the movie. He hadn't been paying attention anyway. Cooper and Blaine were alone that night, their parents were away for the weekend, as they had been more frequently as Blaine grew older.   
  
"Yeah, Squirt? What's up, why'd you pause the movie? We just got it! You loved Transformers when it came out!" Cooper didn't notice the tone of Blaine's voice, blinded by enthusiasm.   
  
Blaine said nothing, just shifted nervously. "...Blaine? Is everything okay?" Cooper asked, finally looking at Blaine.  
  
"I - I don't really know how to-" Blaine twisted his hands in his lap and bit his lip.   
  
"Is it something bad? I can try to help, but you have to tell-"  
  
"I like boys. I'm - I'm gay." Blaine forced out quietly. Cooper let out a long exhale, running a hand through his hair. “Okay.”  
  
“Okay?” Blaine kept looking at his lap.   
  
“Okay. Blaine. Look at me.” Cooper said steadily. Blaine did, breathing shaky.   
  
“I’m glad you told me, Blaine. I’m going to do everything I can to support you. I’m not completely surprised, honestly.” Cooper held eye contact with Blaine, trying to reassure him without words.   
  
“Really?” Blaine asked. Cooper smiled. “Whenever we watch this, you never pay attention to Megan Fox.”   
  
At that, Blaine let out a watery laugh. Cooper leaned over and pulled him into a tight hug. Blaine’s breathing started to become regular again. Both felt comforted. However, a minute later Blaine pulled back a little, saying “Dad’s not going to be okay.”  
  
Cooper nodded slowly. “No. But we’ll deal with that together. Don’t worry about it. I’ve got your back, little bro. Alright?” He tried to shoot a reassuring smile.  
  
A smile slowly formed on Blaine’s face. He leaned back into the couch with an “Alright.” A moment’s pause before he added “Let’s finish the movie. And  _you_  can enjoy Megan Fox.”  
  
-

 **2008**  
  
“You’re gonna call me, right?” Blaine looked up at Cooper with wide eyes.  
  
“Of course I am, B. But you’re going to be busy too! High school! You’re going to make friends, Blaine.” Cooper tried to sound enthusiastic, even though there was a nagging voice in his head saying  _don’t leave him, don’t leave him here._  
  
“I don’t think so, Coop. They don’t like me. I don’t want to be alone anymore.” Blaine had his arms wrapped around himself.  
  
“You won’t be - we’ll talk, and you’ll make friends, and there’s mom and dad too.” Cooper said with false optimism.   
  
“Mom and Dad don’t know what to do with me. Dad’s been pretending I never said it, and Mom doesn’t want to get him mad at her. They've been making themselves busy at work. I hate it.” Blaine’s voice caught.   
  
 _Don't leave him._    
  
“They’ll come around, Blaine. they love you so much, so do I. Everything’s going to be okay. I promised, remember? I still do.” Cooper was earnest, trying to make his brother believe him.  
  
He saw Blaine’s chin wobble a little before arms were wrapped around him, Blaine’s face pressed against his chest. His breaths were muffled in the fabric of Cooper’s shirt.   
  
Cooper's flight was called for departure. Cooper hugged Blaine tightly against himself, bending his neck and placing a soft kiss on Blaine’s hair before Blaine pulled away with wet eyes. “That’s you, Coop,” he told him, wiping his eyes.  
  
 _Don’t leave him._  
  
Cooper glanced behind him, desperate for more time, before he looked back at Blaine. “Be good, Blaine. I’ll visit soon and then we’ll have a bunch of stories to tell each other, right!” he gave a strained smile.  
  
“Go” Blaine said, even though he was still trying not to cry and his hands kept twitching in Cooper’s direction, as if he was trying to keep him from leaving.  
  
 _Don’t leave him._  
  
Cooper left.  
  
-

 **2008**  
  
 _Riiiiiiing. Riiiiiiing. Riiiiiiing. Riiiiiiing. Riiiiiiing._  
  
 _Hi, this is Blaine. I can’t answer right now, but leave a message and I’ll call you back!_    
  
“Blainey, this is the third time! You said you’d call and tell me how it went with Andrew after you got back! It’s midnight, I thought most school dances ended by then. Maybe you were tired and forgot. I don’t know. Anyway, I’m going to bed, bud, but I’ll call you again in the morning. I hope you had fun. Love you.”  
  
~  
  
“Mom, hi! What’s -”   
  
“Blaine’s in the hospital.”  
  
Cooper inhaled a shuddering breath and felt the world reeling as he tried to form the word “why?” His mother was crying on the other line as she answered “He was waiting, after the dance, and they just, they hurt him.”  
  
Cooper’s skin was crawling and clammy as he struggled to breathe. “Is he - is he”  
  
“He’ll be fine, but Cooper, he looks - oh God.”   
  
“I’m coming home.”  
  
~  
  
Cooper arrived in the hospital room the next day, hair disheveled and eyes wild. Mrs. Anderson was sitting in a chair at Blaine's bedside. Mr. Anderson was nowhere to be found. When Cooper walked in, she stood up and flung herself into his arms, small and shaky in his arms. He held her loosely as he looked at Blaine.  
  
He was small for his age, but he looked tiny laying in the hospital bed. He was sleeping or unconscious; there were cuts and bruises everywhere Cooper could see, including a nasty black eye, and a cast on his right arm and left leg.   
  
Cooper tore his eyes from his younger brother and finally started crying as he understood the reality that his brother had been beaten.   
  
"This is because he took Andrew." his voice was hollow.  
  
"Yes. They're saying it was a h-hate crime."  
  
A hate crime. Against Blaine. Harmless little Blaine, who only wanted to love and be loved. He had been so excited. He'd asked Cooper for advice on everything. And now here he was.  
  
Cooper held his mother and cried with her, wondering what the future would bring for them, and for Blaine.  
  
There was a pit forming in his stomach that didn't go away for a long, long time.  
  
-

**In the time following the dance - an interlude**

**2008-2009**  
  
Cooper took the rest of the year off of college to stay home with Blaine while his parents worked. Blaine started going to school again, sparsely, in January, but he'd missed so much work that he didn't have a chance of making it all up. In the meantime, Cooper had been looking at other schools for Blaine. Even after all of Blaine's wounds had healed, he wasn't the same. He'd lost a sparkle in his eye, of naivety, of innocence, and Cooper missed it dearly.  
  
He found Dalton Academy and called Admissions, asked about their zero tolerance policy and telling them about Blaine. He was informed that there was not a spot for Blaine this year, but to apply for the next year and he could be considered. Cooper accepted it and resolved to tell his parents that this is what they should do for Blaine.  
  
Cooper had been watching Blaine since the dance. He would stay in his room for hours, lying in his bed looking at the ceiling. Blaine didn't laugh at jokes Cooper made or flash smiles at Mrs. Anderson like he always had. It was almost like he wasn't Blaine, and Cooper wanted him back, and he would do anything, anything, for it.   
  
-  
  
 **2011**  
  
Cooper got home from college for the summer a day early. And when he walked into the living room, he started to think that maybe that wasn't such a great idea.  
  
First of all, he thought his mother would be home, and second of all, he had not been expecting Blaine to be in the living room with a boy.   
  
With a boy on top of him.   
  
Cooper stood in the entryway staring in pretend fascination at the wall as he tried to figure out what to say as the two scrambled away from each other.   
  
"Having fun while mom's gone?" he finally asked, looking at Blaine, who had turned a hilarious shade of red, as he spluttered and managed an "I thought you were getting home tomorrow!"  
  
"Surprise!" Cooper laughed, and turned to the other boy. "I'm hoping that you're Kurt, or my brother has some explaining to do."   
  
Kurt smiled a little at Cooper, offered his hand to shake. It was so formal after what Cooper had just walked in on that he started laughing again, and pulled Kurt into a hug. Kurt tensed for a second before tentatively hugging Cooper back.  
  
"...Nice to meet you" he said, sounding a little bewildered.   
  
~  
  
Blaine and Kurt made dinner for the three of them, after Cooper found out that his father's on a business trip and his mom was staying at her sister's house that night. Cooper offered to help cook, too, but Blaine (a little frantically) shot that down.   
  
"My cooking's not that bad!" he protested.  
  
"Raw chicken, Coop. No."  
  
They sat down together, and Cooper tried to watch Blaine and Kurt interact without being creepy. He wasn't entirely sure he succeeded, because Blaine kept eyeing him weirdly, and Kurt remained a little awkward.   
  
Something was different about Blaine, and Cooper spent the whole of dinner trying to figure out what it was. When he realized it, he startled and hit his knee against the table - hard, fuck - letting out a squeaking grunt and earning a judging look from Blaine.   
  
But he couldn't even bring himself to care, because Blaine had that sparkle in his eyes that Cooper hadn't seen in years, and Cooper felt like he might cry. He didn't know if it was Dalton or friends or Kurt but really, it was irrelevant, because he and Blaine were doing the dishes together (Blaine made Kurt stay seated, as he cooked) exchanging banter and Blaine had his smile back where his eyes go all squinty.   
  
Later that night, after Kurt left (Cooper said a quick "Nice to meet you, good night" before making himself scarce) he and Blaine were alone. They were talking about school and college and boyfriends and girlfriends when, apropos of nothing, Cooper pulled Blaine into a tight hug. He knew Blaine was confused but he hugged back anyway, laying his head against the top of Cooper's chest because he's still so  _small_. And fuck, Cooper teared up a little, but he ignored it, said "I love you, Blaine" in the steadiest voice he could manage and Blaine held him tighter, responding with a muffled "I love you too, Coop."  
  
It was odd for them, because they had always had such a close bond, yet they so infrequently told each other that they loved each other. They knew when the other needed it, when they were fragile, and they took the other and made him stronger. They always reminded each other some way or another; all they needed to be okay was their help. They just needed each other.  
  
-

 **2012**  
  
Blaine had never been on an airplane before. He was a lot less anxious than Cooper had been the first time  _he_  had been in an airplane, although to be fair he had been alone, and Blaine was sitting next to him.   
  
Blaine didn’t stop  _fidgeting_. Cooper couldn't really blame him, per se, but that didn't change the fact that he was going to lose his fucking mind.   
  
It was Blaine's senior year, and he was going to spend his Thanksgiving break with Cooper in New York. Cooper had promised that he could see both Cooper's show and one or two Broadway shows. And he could see Kurt. To most people, spending Thanksgiving with an ex had all the marks to be awkward, but he and Kurt had broken up mutually before Kurt left. They both still loved each other, but they decided to take a break while they were apart; that way Blaine could focus on school and go to a college anywhere, rather than planning around Kurt, and Kurt could begin his career at Vogue without distractions. If it all worked out, they had hopes that they could get back together.  
  
Cooper thought it was weird for teenagers to do that, he remembered being a lot more naive. It turned out that he was right. Cooper had still been home when they'd broken up, and after Kurt left Blaine stopped acting like it was what he wanted and cried.   
  
But a few months had passed, and they'd built up their friendship, and Cooper had full faith that he and Blaine were going to have a lot of fun together this Christmas break. He'd even booked open houses so that Blaine could look at colleges.  
  
~  
  
On their second day in New York, Cooper took Blaine to Time's Square. There had been a cold snap, so Blaine was bundled up and resembled a human marshmellow, but the look of awe on his face made Cooper forget to tease him about it. His cheeks were bright red from cold and excitement as he looked around, surrounded by the constant hustle and bustle of people. After a few minutes without speaking, Blaine turned to Cooper, smiling so wide that his eyes scrunched up. "Coop," he started, and Cooper couldn't help but smile back at his bright tone. "Thank you so much for bringing me here. I think... this is the best day ever" Blaine's eyes close and he leaned his head back, and he was taken by surprise by Cooper hugging him tight. "You are so welcome Blaine. Now come on, we've got so much more to see."  
  
~  
  
They spend the next couple days touring a few colleges that Cooper thought Blaine might be interested in. And he did seem to enjoy it, taking it all in and seemingly both enthusiastic and terrified of the idea of a future.   
  
Later that night, while they ate dinner, Blaine changed the subject (from a discussion about the Buckeyes, no less) to college. "The schools you've taken me to - they were almost all performing arts schools," he said to open, leaving Cooper confused.   
  
"Well, yeah. I thought that's what you wanted to do? Broadway and all that stuff, like me?" Cooper put down his fork in an attempt to understand what Blaine was telling him.   
  
"I mean, I love performing. But I don't know if that's what I want to, um, do, with my life," Blaine said nervously. Cooper cocked his head. "What do you want to do, then, squirt?"   
  
"I applied to both performing arts schools and standard schools, I didn't want to limit myself in case - I mean, I'm not sure but I was thinking about maybe - teaching? I don't know what, maybe music or something. I like kids and -" Blaine tried to explain himself rapidly, flushing under Cooper's look before Cooper cut him off.   
  
"Blaine, I'm not going to stop you from being a teacher, so calm down a little, okay?" Cooper cracked a smile, even though he was a little blown away by Blaine's declaration. "We'll figure it out together. You don't leave until Saturday, so on Friday we'll go explore education programs, okay? Don't worry about it."  
  
"Okay" Blaine breathed easier, felt a little weight leave his chest. "That sounds great."  
  
~  
  
Thursday was, of course, Thanksgiving. Blaine vetoed the idea of going to the Macy's Parade, instead opting to spend the day at Kurt's, helping to cook. They were in the kitchen starting at 9 am, while Cooper researched teaching programs in New York on the couch.   
  
They ate at 1 o'clock. It was only the three of them, Rachel had gone home to celebrate with her dads. As they passed around food, talking and laughing, Cooper was struck by how similar it was to the night he had met Kurt. He fell silent, content to eat and listen to Kurt and Blaine, smiling to himself. When they asked him what had him so entertained, he joked that they'd put something in the food. Really, though, he was thinking about how they'd become a little family.  
  
-

 **2012**  
  
Cooper visited home (thank god his parents didn’t care how often he flew out as long as his grades stayed up) before he left for a semester to study abroad. He wouldn’t get back until right before Blaine graduated.   
  
The taxi pulled up in front of his house, he paid the cabbie and got out, going to get his luggage.  
  
The front door opened before he finished getting it all, so he looked up, expecting to see one of his family members coming out to greet him.   
  
Instead, he saw Blaine kissing some guy before the guy turned around, apparently, to leave. Blaine moved his attention away from the guy, noticing the cab in front. He froze as Cooper came up to the front door and Random drove away.   
  
Blaine helped him get his things inside, before making a face and awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. His hair wasn’t gelled down neatly, but messed up and in need of retouching; his bowtie was askew. He was just plain ruffled.   
  
“Sooo. Is that a new boyfriend? He could have stayed.” Cooper frowned. “You could have told me about him, too.”  
  
Blaine laughed quietly. “That’s Sebastian. He’s not my boyfriend,” he watches Cooper’s eyebrows steadily rise. “...aren’t you a little young for that sort of thing?”   
  
Blaine flushed. “I’m almost 19, Coop. And we’re - maybe dating? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.”  
  
They carried Cooper’s suitcases up to his room, and then came back down to the living room. Blaine was picking out a movie to watch when Cooper spoke again.   
  
“You’re being safe, right?” He sounded like he was trying to be both friend and father, something he mostly avoided. Blaine sighed. “Yes.”  
  
“Because I know you and Kurt weren’t all the time.” Blaine squawked, turning around. “How-”  
  
“Okay, either you weren’t being safe or you weren’t having sex regularly, and considering you’re not one but  _two_  teenage boys - anyway, there was a distinct lack of condom wrappers.” Cooper laughed as Blaine turned back around, clapping his hands to his face and muttering an “oh my god, Coop.”  
  
“I mean, you do okay with all that? Considering I gave you a gay sex talk when I was only 17, I thought I did a great fucking job. It’s not like you were going to get it from someone else” and maybe it had turned just this side of awkward, but it wasn’t like Cooper had a ton of opportunities to ask  _so how did I do raising you from 13 on?_  
  
“Coop, I - yes, it’s fine, I’m fine. Can we just watch the movie, oh my god.” Blaine was clearly mortified, and Cooper finally conceded, turning on The Avengers.   
  
-

 **2014**  
  
"Cooper, I've gotta talk to you." Blaine waved Cooper over to the couch he was sitting on, the ring on his finger glinting in the light.  
  
"What?" Cooper asked. "Whoa, serious face."  
  
"So, Kurt and I were talking yesterday and I mean - I know we haven't even been living here that long but I started thinking maybe, um -" Blaine started babbling and Cooper cut him off before it got embarrassing. "The point, B."  
  
"I think I should move in with Kurt. I mean - we're getting married relatively soon and we've never lived together. And I wouldn't just skip out on rent, I know we have a lease, Rachel could move in -" Blaine was cut off from his rapid explanation by a groan from Cooper.  
  
Cooper was quiet for another few moments, before acknowledging "It is a good idea for you and Kurt to have experience being around each other all the time. Ugh, I can't believe my dumb baby brother's getting married and I haven't held a steady girlfriend since junior year of college. What does Rachel think of this idea? I'm not saying yes yet - I don't know if I want to live with crazy."   
  
Blaine bounced a little, smiling at Cooper. "Um, she's all for it. I don't know if that's because she loves Kurt and I or she likes you though, to be honest."  
  
"Rachel likes me?" Cooper narrowed his eyes at Blaine. "Are you sure about that? Last time we had dinner over there she basically verbally slapped me when I said vegan meat is just really not the same."  
  
"I don't wanna talk about that. But is that a... yes?" Blaine's eyes sparkled and he used the full power of his pout to sway Cooper, who held out for a few more seconds before "God. Okay, sure."  
  
"Yay! Blaine rose and hugged Cooper briefly before scampering off. "I'm going to call Kurt!"  
  
Cooper watched him pick up the phone, and shook his head. The things he did for Blaine.  
  
-

 **Blaine’s Wedding**  
 **2015**  
  
"So, Blaine asked me to be his best man. And I have viciously fought Sam, believe me. You see that broken arm? He didn't actually fall out of a tree. I defeated him for this. Blaine didn't have a choice here. It was all me. Now, on to embarrassing Blaine in front of everyone. Just like I wanted. This is the highlight of my life." Cooper's remarks were met with laughter from the room at large.   
  
"Get to the point, Coop!" Blaine shouted. Cooper responded by sticking out his tongue.  
  
"Okay, squirt. Here we go. So, when I was four years old, Blaine was born. I remember saying something like 'We're going to be a happy family forever!' Well, that didn't exactly work out. I'm pretty sure that was one of the few times it was actually true. But it didn't matter to me, because even though we had some absences in our life-" a look to an empty seat next to Mrs. Anderson. "-Blaine and I always had each other. Yeah, that's sappy as hell, but it's true. I remember being so confused when my friends complained about their little siblings, said they hated them. Blaine was a little shit sometimes, don't get me wrong, but at the end of the day, we were best friends, and we still are. Even though after he came to New York we only lived together for a few months before he ditched me for Kurt, and left me with Rachel Berry. We're in the midst of our competition to see who can write the better best man/maid of honor speech right now." He shot her a grin, to which she responded with an "I'm winning!"  
  
"It's truly been amazing to see Blaine grow up, and grow into this incredibly brave person. When we were little I told him to have courage, and that's something he's held to. Meeting Kurt for the first time made me the happiest I'd been in a long time, because it was the happiest I'd seen Blaine in years. You know, somewhere I read a quote that said, 'Marriage is not about finding a person you can live with, it’s about finding the person you can’t live without.' I know these two have found that person. And you know, even if I never get married, I have that person too, because I can't imagine living without my baby brother." Cooper looked at Blaine to find him with teary eyes and a shining smile on his face.   
  
 _Don’t leave him._  
  
Cooper never did.


End file.
